Indicating means for automobile gasoline tanks



jm. 2, 11923. Mmm? F. J. COWIE. INDICATING MEANS FOR AUTOMOBILE GAsoLlNE TANKS. A

FILED MAR. 31, |922. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l i i l l l l l l lll/111111 ummm? Jam. 2, E923.

F J COWIE. INDICATING MEANS FOR AUTOMOBILE GAsoLlNE TANKS.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fl LED MAR 3, 1922 Cgi Application filed March 3l, 1.9222A To all '2u/71,079?, t may ooucel'n it known tlu zen oli the Unite tonioh (l asoline Tan lou is a specification.

uwention relai to automobile il' line tank "lling' ard level indica n and particulerrr mi y `f asoline 'with c 'kan external necessity of removing; the skc iuser-ting a measuring rod o' nl" tion level indicator which is lly movable indieatino i a adua'ted scale.l t

' the pruik and opi' with the gauge linger by l cable passing through the i spout.

fr 'further feature resides in provision of a gauge7 the indiesting portions of fzvliich coated with a luminous composition or paint so that the readings inay be observed in the night.

ln the drawings which lorin :i part of this specification,-

`lligure l is a Vertical sertis'inal View 'taken through an automobile bodyq el the Ford type7 in proximity to the front seat1 and looking' toward the front of 'the yehirle;

Figure 2 is a plan View of a tank equipped with the filling spout, reinoyed from the vehicle;

Figure is an end View' Ytroni the left oiithe tanlz and spout;

Figure Ll is a vertical sectional View of the tanl, filling spout, and a portion of the Vehicle body, and illustrating more in de- .i @an will be ol served that the r tion lo is intail the relation oil the spout to the said body;

Figure 5 is a side yiew of a portion of the outer Wall ora Vehicle body and a cover for the opening which ailiords access to the spout and gauge;

Figure t3 vis a vertical sectional View through the vent cap of the tank on theline 6 6 of Figure l; and

Fg re Z is a Tvertical sectional View rouen the filling spout and gauge on the 7 of Figure Ll.

Referring now more speciiieally to the drawings by numerals of reference, Twherein the characters designate lili-e parts throughout the several figru'esa 2 indicates an automobile body, here shown as of the F ord `ype, although it is readily understood 'that the particular inalre of NTvehicle is iinrnaterial7 the invention being adapta ble to any Vtype Where the gasoline tank is arranged beneath the seat, Whether it be at the front or back. ln fact, the invention vis applicable for use 'With any automobile Where tl tank is confined Within the body., as diss tinguished lroin the type where the tank is located externally el: the vehicle, which is usually at the rear.

rllhe exterior side Walls of the body which are olf sheet metal are shown at el, the interior Walls which are spaced therefrom being shown at (L and providing thereby a recess 8, usual in substantially all types of autoinol'iiles, so further reference to structural details appertaining thereto is here unnecessary.

lrloused beneath the seat 9, and supported by means coininon to all Ford automobiles, unnecessary 'to here be shown, is a gasoline tanl l0, of the usual size andshape and provided in one ents with an opening 1l over Which is secured a threaded or screw cap l2 provide-d with vent tubes ll eXtending through tl e top of the cap and whereby the liquid within the tank is maintained at atiuos} heritl pressure.

'illu prei' rably the left hand end oi the iernee to the view shown in L l mount a filling spout l5, the loner section lo of which is provided with i Hanne if@ attached to the end Wall 2t) around an openinf 2l therein by spot Welding; river other suitable 'fastening' means 22. 't

lli) ally tenia tical Yforming with the section 16, an elbow, the said vertical lsection extending through an aperture 25 in the body trame member 26 and into the recess 8 provided between the inner and outer walls l and 6.

Referring particularly to Figure 7, it will be seen that the upper end ot' the vertical section 16, is provided with a filling opening 28 closed by a screw cap 29, said section 16 being of suiiicient'cross-sectional area to permit of a filling opening ot a size capable ot receiving the standard nozzle on the hose ot the usual gasoline service stations. This cross-sectional area must also be sufficient to permit of the location within the section16 of the gauge operating cable and housing presently to be described. The upper portion ot the section 16 is further provided with an annular flange which centers it with'respect to the adjacent walls d and 6 and presents relative movement with respect thereto, ory in other words, steadying it against lateral vibrations.

Extending vertically through the section 24 ot the filling spout and .rigidly secured at its upper end in the top wall 30 is a metal tube 32 p`reterably or copper having its lower portion suitably bent to conform to y the general shape oi the lower section 16, said tube, as shown, being laterally oi'iset with respect to the illing opening 28 lto avoidinterference ot the operations ot each. Arranged within the tube 232 is a flexible shaft Bet, its upper end extending beyond. the upper end of said tube and being provided with' a luminous indicating pointer $5 which cooperates with the luminous scale markings 36 on a gauge plate formed at the "front ot a housing cap or guard 36, to indicate the level ot' the gasoline within the tanlr.

' rlhe lower extremity ot the flexible shaft projects beyond the lower end ont the tube 32 and is pivotally connected at l() with an arm e1 of a segmental gear 42 suitably pivoted at de within the spout section 16. The gear 4t2 meshes with a pinion e5 pivoted ona shaft i6 arranged transversely oi the section 16, which pinion 4:5 has rigidly secured thereto, an arm d8 to the free end ot which is attached a float 50, which rising or falling with the level of the gasoline .indicated at m, through the gear and flexible shaft mechanism operates the' gauge or .indicating pointer 35. rThe spout opening is accessible for filling and the gauge visible, through a circular aperture o2 cut in the outer wall a oit the body. Attached to thc outer face oft the wall t and surrounding said aperture 52 is a fiat ring or annulus oe secured in position by rivets or the like tol the lower portion ot which ring is hinged I claim as my invention is the tolbetween, the outer 01"' said walls having an aperture therein; a fuel tank, a'filling spout connected therewith, having its upper end arranged adjacent said opening in the outer wall, and provided with a filling opening, a graduated scale plate carried bythe upper end or said spout and in proximity to said opening in the side wall, a tube supported by and extending through said spout, a gauge finger cooperating with said scale, a flexible shaft extending through said -tube and carrying said gauge finger, a float arranged within said tank, and operating means connecting said Heat and said flexible shai'it.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a vehicle body having spaced side walls the outer wall being proyvided with an aperture and a closure for said aperture, a tank, a iilling spout attached to said tank and provided with a. lower section having an inclined bottom portion, an upper vertical section arranged at an angle to said lower section and having a filling opening adjacent the perture in the body wall, a gaugeA rod tube secured Within said iilling spout and offset iro-m the axis thereof, a gauge plate on said vertical. section of the iilling spout and in proximity to the aperture in the body wall, a float within said tank, and means connected with said tloatand cooperating with said gauge plate for indicating the level ot theY liquid within said tank. i

3. ln an apparatus ot the cla-ss described, the combination with vehicle body having spaced side walls providing a recess therebetween, t-he outer ot said walls having an aperture communicating with said recess, a fuel tanlr, a filling spout connected 'the-rewitlnhaving its upper end arranged adi acent said aperture in the side wall' oit the body, said iilling spout being providedwith a illing opening and a liquil level indicating device carried by said iilli-i'i spout and arranged in proximity to the aperture in the outer side wall.

1n 'testimony 'whereof I a-ilix-- my signature. 

